


74. (Past) Midnight

by djchika



Category: Glee RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-27
Updated: 2013-04-27
Packaged: 2017-12-09 15:43:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/775921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/djchika/pseuds/djchika
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He’d always thought that the notion of love at first sight was silly. Love was inherently about knowing a person and committing to them, not about how attracted you were to someone the first time you met.</p>
            </blockquote>





	74. (Past) Midnight

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted September 10, 2012
> 
> Part of My Crisscolfer 100 Ficlet (Drabble) Challenge

He’d always thought that the notion of love at first sight was silly. Love was inherently about knowing a person and committing to them, not about how attracted you were to someone the first time you met. It wasn’t just about chemistry, it was also about compatibility. He believed in the kind of love that his parents had. Not a whirlwind romance, but a slow burn that yields decades of happiness and contentment.

Still, he couldn’t deny that there was something there. Something that had made him sit up and take notice in way that he had never been made to before. It pulled at him, made him open up a little wider than what was strictly necessary for his character, for the scene.

He had expected it to be honest, he had always had trouble toeing that line where his heart ended and his character’s began. He had hooked up with a couple of people in high school and in college that way, but it had never been a long term problem. Not until now.

Darren looked over the email once more, frustration climbing up his back making his shoulders tense. He had six interviews scheduled for the month as part of their press commitments for Glee. Three of them were with Lea, four with Kevin, all six with Chord and of course, none with Chris.

Their publicists had explained to both of them that it was strategic not to put them in too many press events together. They already spent all their time on Glee as the inseparable KurtandBlaine, the couple that everyone loved, it would help if the public saw them separately – as Darren Criss, the actor and musician, and Chris Colfer, the actor and writer.

It still rankled Darren though, made his stomach twist in guilt as if it was somehow his fault. And based on the looks he got from Lindsay after the Academy Screening, maybe it was.

He closed the email and went through his contacts until he reached the C’s. The voice that picked up was gruff and a little annoyed.

“It’s three am, man, unless you’re in a ditch somewhere, I’m hanging up on you.”

Darren glanced at his watch and cringed. “Shit. Sorry, Chuck, I just got home and didn’t realize how late it was. Go back to sleep. I hope I didn’t wake Lucy up.”

“Nah, she sleeps like a log,” Chuck replied with a chuckle. Darren could hear the fondness in his brother’s voice and while it warmed him knowing that his brother had finally found the love of his life, it made the ache in Darren’s own heart even more pronounced.

“So what’s got you calling in the middle of the night?”

Darren opened his mouth but suddenly found that he had no idea what he wanted to say. He slumped down on the couch and let his head fall back with a thunk.

“God, Darren, either talk to me like you obviously need to or I’m going back to bed.”

Darren decided to just plunge in. “How did you know that Lucy was the one?” The words came out rushed and almost incoherent but Chuck seemed to understand him well enough.

“At three am, Darren, really?” Chuck asked, definitely less sleepy and possible even a little amused.

Darren covered his eyes with his arm. “Just humor me, dude.”

Chuck paused before answering. “The world stopped the first time I met her.”

Darren heard Chuck shift his voice going softer.

“Do you remember that bar we used to play in, the one with the fucked up sound system and the strobe lights that practically blinded anyone on stage?” Chuck asked. ”We were both there for a mutual friends’ gig and she was telling this awful joke about an Italian man in Malta and I couldn’t take my eyes off her. You know how we got together, and you know it was so much more than that, but I swear, the day I realized I wanted to marry her, it was all I could think of. Like fucking tunnel vision.”

The two of them lapsed into a comfortable silence both lost in their own thoughts for a minute. He knew all about his brother’s love story, he had been there for most of the big events or had been immediately updated though a quick email or text, but it didn’t help settle the swirling in Darren’s head and the ache in his heart. In fact it seemed to make the want in his heart even bigger somehow.

A soft laugh from Chuck broke into Darren’s thoughts. “Did I tell you that mom knew I liked her way before I got my head out of my ass?”

Darren couldn’t help the wide smile that broke on his face at the mention of their mother. “Mom called you out?”

“Yeah, She met Lucy at one of our gigs and she said I looked at her like she hung the moon. Said that Pop looked at her exactly the same way.”

It was true too. Even after all their years together, his Dad still looked at their Mom like she was the most amazing thing he had ever seen.

“Are you ready to tell me what’s going on or do you need another bedtime story?” Chuck asked.

“Shut up. Bastard.”

“She’s your mom too, asshole. I bet she’d have no problem calling you out even though you’re a big Hollywood celebrity now. Especially if it’s bad enough that you needed to call your older, wiser and definitely more handsome brother.”

“I ain’t telling you shit now,” Darren said petulantly.

Chuck made a disbelieving noise but didn’t say anything else, waiting for Darren to continue. Darren pushed himself deeper into the couch pillows, readying himself for his next words. “How much of a pain are you going to be if I told you I think I might be in love?”

“Do I know this person?”

“Yes,” Darren said with a roll of his eyes. He’d bet his career that Chuck knew who he was talking about. His brother was just being a fuck wad now.

“And am I correct in assuming that you’re afraid said person would not only never believe you, but it would also create a cluster fuck of epic proportions that might make your fragile little world explode?”

Right in one for Chuck Criss.

“Yes.”

“God, you Hollywood types are so melodramatic. Chris knows.”

Darren sat up with a jolt. “What?!” The sound that escaped Darren after that wasn’t one he was proud of and it wasn’t very dignified either based on Chuck’s laugh.

“Fuck, Darren, you’re worse than me and dad. You make fucking heart eyes at him every time you’re together. Everyone and their mothers can see it. He’s not blind.”

Darren groaned. Right. His publicist had pretty much told him the same thing. And Lea. And Dianna. And Chord. And even Vanessa at some point.

“So what do I do now?”

“Talking to him might help,” Chuck replied like it was the most obvious thing to do. “Act like a normal human being and ask him out? You like him but who knows, he might find you repulsive. I sure as hell do.”

“Thank you so much for the encouragement, Kuya, ” Darren said sarcastically.

“No problem, bunso,” Chuck countered. “Stop being such a wuss and talk to Chris. At the least he’s your friend and even if he doesn’t feel the same way he’ll understand. This doesn’t have to be about anyone or anything else but you guys.”

Darren smiled because even though it probably wasn’t as easy as it sounded, Chuck’s advise made him feel a little bit better. “Why does it seem so much more complicated in my head?”

“Because your head is inhabited by hobbits and centaurs and Ents. I’m surprised mom didn’t have you committed.” Chuck said. “So, you gonna let me sleep, or what? I need my beauty rest too you know.”

“Well, we can’t all be naturally handsome,” Darren said with a genuine smile. He fiddled with the couch cushion. It was scary as all fuck but Chuck was right, he and Chris were friends and whatever happened, he could at least count on that. “Seriously though, Chuck, thanks.”

Chuck yawned on the other end, his voice already a low murmur. “Sure, little brother, but choose a more reasonable hour next time, or I promise you, Chris is going to hear about all the embarrassing childhood stories I can think of and it’s going to include a fucking slideshow.”


End file.
